Receiver "sound" question?

[termin8ted314]

I keep reading about different receiver brands having a specific sound or are better for music listening than others.

If Audio is not the focus of my system are there certain companies i should stick with? Any music I listen to is off my ipod or streamed through my xbox and a majority of it is heavier music.

I am basically using my system for movies and gaming.

 

[markw]

Just stick to the major brands and you'll do well. Any audible differences between similar class receivers are minimal, if at all.

 

[termin8ted314]

Just stick to the major brands and you'll do well. Any audible differences between similar class receivers are minimal, if at all.

Im pretty sure i narrowed it down to denon but havent pulled the trigger yet so im still researching!

 

[rnatalli]

Just stick to the major brands and you'll do well. Any audible differences between similar class receivers are minimal, if at all.

+1 They're all basically the same differing in price and features only. You do get a difference in sound when using different EQ systems (Audyssey, MCACC, etc.). So a Denon with Audyssey engaged will sound different than a Pioneer with MCACC engaged. With nothing engaged, they sound the same. I personally like the new Denon's using Audyssey MultiEQ.

 

[markw]

I've been happily using a Denon 2802 for years, and it has no automatic adjustments at all! It sounds good to me, but I'm deaf in one ear and can't hear out of the other.

 

[Pyrrho]

I keep reading about different receiver brands having a specific sound or are better for music listening than others.

If Audio is not the focus of my system are there certain companies i should stick with? Any music I listen to is off my ipod or streamed through my xbox and a majority of it is heavier music.

I am basically using my system for movies and gaming.

The "sound" question is basically due to people imagining they can hear things that they cannot really hear. See:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57397

Anyone who could really hear a difference between them, when operated within their limits and without different EQs, could make a lot of money. But in online forums, as in life, people can claim any BS they want, so people claim to hear all sorts of things that are humanly impossible to hear.

 

[audiofox]

The "sound" question is basically due to people imagining they can hear things that they cannot really hear. See:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57397

Anyone who could really hear a difference between them, when operated within their limits and without different EQs, could make a lot of money. But in online forums, as in life, people can claim any BS they want, so people claim to hear all sorts of things that are humanly impossible to hear.

Amen to that.

 

[redass]

The "sound" question is basically due to people imagining they can hear things that they cannot really hear. See:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57397

Anyone who could really hear a difference between them, when operated within their limits and without different EQs, could make a lot of money. But in online forums, as in life, people can claim any BS they want, so people claim to hear all sorts of things that are humanly impossible to hear.

to be fair, this is only applicable to amplifiers, not the rest of the receiver's components that process the audio signals. every company seems to have their own methods of converting stereo to surround, etc.

 

[bandphan]

to be fair, this is only applicable to amplifiers, not the rest of the receiver's components that process the audio signals. every company seems to have their own methods of converting stereo to surround, etc.

To be fair, if you read his post it states without eq applied, which would include proprietary DSPs.

 

[Lordoftherings]

I've been happily using a Denon 2802 for years, and it has no automatic adjustments at all! It sounds good to me, but I'm deaf in one ear and can't hear out of the other.

LOL. Everything sounds good in your life then!

 

[redass]

To be fair, if you read his post it states without eq applied, which would include proprietary DSPs.

I understand what he said, but I was trying to clarify that it was not necessarily trivial, but certainly not the entire picture or a complete answer in this context. If you were buying a car, would it mean anything to you that all cars handle the same when they are parked on the lot? to each their own, but IMO it wouldn't mean anything in a practical sense, as I would actually be driving the car after I purchased it.

I'd imagine the xbox games and the movies will be hitting the receiver as bitstream or LPCM signals, which haven't ever in the history of mankind come out of a speaker very well without some converting. ergo, pointing out that amplifiers are pretty similar within their "sweet spot" in this particular discussion is not a complete end-all answer, because that is not how it will be used, and claiming that people "imagine" different sounds from different receivers is a statement that probably should be re-thought. now, if you can prove that every receiver converts digital to analog the same, we've got a good discussion.

 

[bandphan]

I, if you can prove that every receiver converts digital to analog the same, we've got a good discussion.

I'm a firm believer that DACs are transparent nowdays. Sure the number effects processing power but within same class Avrs, I believe it shouldn't effect sound. Now signal path and crosstalk would be the argument for me

 

[Robof83]

I keep reading about different receiver brands having a specific sound or are better for music listening than others.

If Audio is not the focus of my system are there certain companies i should stick with? Any music I listen to is off my ipod or streamed through my xbox and a majority of it is heavier music.

I am basically using my system for movies and gaming.

Most of that comes from somewhat misleading marketing tactics and gullible people trying to justify their purchase. I say somewhat misleading because their is some truth to the fact that different AVRs will sound different from each other. However, this is because of the differing processing features and room correction modes they offer, not because of coloration of the signal.

Marantz SR7002 10 Hz to 20 kHz +0, –0.2 dB
Marantz SR5003 A/V Receiver : –0.15 dB at 20 Hz –0.01 dB at 20 kHz
Marantz Model 2325 Receiver(1974) +/- 0.2 dB from 20hz to 20khz
Sony STR-DG910 A/V Receiver 20 Hz to 20 kHz +0, -0.1 dB
Yamaha RX-V1800 A/V Receiver 20 Hz to 20 kHz +0, –0.2 dB
DenonAVR5308CI graph
Yamaha Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 graph
Pioneer SC-07 graph
Marantz SR7002 graph
Onkyo TX-SR607 A/V Receiver –0.00 dB at 20 Hz +0.06 dB at 20 kHz
Onkyo TX-SR806 A/V Receiver –0.02 dB at 20 Hz +0.01 dB at 20 kHz
Rotel RMB-1085 Amplifier –0.05 dB at 20 Hz –0.08 dB at 20 kHz
Lexicon CX-7 Amplifier –0.03 dB at 20 hertz and –0.02 dB at 20 kilohertz
Lexicon LX-7 Amplifier -0.05 dB at 20 hertz and -0.03 dB at 20 kilohertz
Krell Showcase -0.01 dB at 20 Hz and -0.18 dB at 20 kHz
McIntosh MX134 +0.01/-0.38 decibels from 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz
B&K Reference 7260 +/-0.09 decibels from 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz
Krell KAV-250a +/-0.16 decibels from 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz



Sources:
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/rec...-receiver.html
http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/2325.html
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/rec...l?print_page=y
http://www.hometheatermag.com/receiv...er/index3.html
http://www.hometheatermag.com/receiv...er/index3.html
http://hometheatermag.com/powerampli...on/index1.html
http://hometheatermag.com/powerampli...44/index1.html
http://hometheatermag.com/preampproc...41/index3.html
http://hometheatermag.com/preampproc...20/index2.html
http://hometheatermag.com/powerampli...14/index1.html
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/rec...-receiver.html

That was from a post on another avs forum.

 

[Lordoftherings]

^ Great post Robof83.

 

[JaminHead]

Thanks everyone for the useful information. This has been a great learning experience for me.